Bookends
by bbgirl17555
Summary: One Shot. Sonny and Claudia talk. Her loss was palpable and he wondered if she knew how lucky she was, how much harder it was to loose everyone you loved.


_A/N: Just a One shot. Sonny and Claudia Talk._

**Bookends**

She was in white. He noticed the color first. Soft, light, pure; everything she wasn't. Sitting down at the docks, her brown hair pulled into a high ponytail, a white tank and dark jeans she looked just like any other girl. He wondered how easily she could change her spots, he couldn't wash his away, his sins stained his hands.

"Sonny." He almost turned to walk away when she called to him, his name rolling off her tongue, a bite of shock but inviting at the same time.

His hand rubbed the back of his neck, so heavy was his burden. "I don't have time for whatever game you want to play. I'm out. Jason's in charge now. You want to play cat and mouse go find him."

"I know Jason's in charge. He burned down my father's house last night." Sonny tried to check the surprise that filled him. Claudia stood, and he noticed a flicker of pain in her dark eyes. "Not that I really care. It wasn't exactly the best place to grow up but still…" She didn't speak of all she had lost that night, the generations of pictures, strong women that she had never met but had always felt a kinship with, her mother's rosary, the outfit she helped Johnny's mother pick out to bring him home from the hospital, the few keepsakes that made living there bearable.

Her loss was palpable and he wondered if she knew how lucky she was, how much harder it was to loose everyone you loved. "If you have an issue, you need to take it up with Jason."

"You didn't hear?" She questioned, a challenge gauging his reaction. "I'm out. Daddy doesn't want his little girl in the family business, not that he really wants me around at all." Sonny digested this silently before Claudia turned a sharp eye at him. "I'm sure Jason told you that he tried to have me killed."

"Seems like a good enough of an idea to me." He bit back, a mad dog attacking without logic. "You must have done something to make the old man angry." Even then he tried not to picture Kristina, there was nothing in the world that would make him want her dead.

She laughed to herself, soft and hallow, and Sonny almost wished he could take it back, it all back. "Figures that you would think that way." She admitted. "I know you hate me, Sonny. I hate you too. I hate you for what you did to Johnny."

"Why are you wasting my time with stuff I already know?"

It was harder to say that she had anticipated. The last thing she wanted to do was cause anymore damage. "I just wanted to tell you I think you did the right thing."

"I give Jason the business and he burns down your house and it's the right thing? What am I missing here?" Sonny asked. "Shouldn't you be out swearing revenge?"

"I think Daddy's covering that. And while I don't exactly like my childhood home burning to the ground, I get it. It's business. But giving up this life- its hard. We are used to getting what we want, when we want it and damn the consequences." She took at step towards the murky water, she wondered if she looked hard enough if she could see her own spilled blood. "Kids get hurt, they grow up damaged and afraid or so fearless like Johnny that you worry about them deciding to jump off the ledge."

Their eyes met and Sonny held her gaze for a moment before looking away, she was too close, too much a mirror of his own sins, demons he didn't want to see. "It's a good thing, what you did. Letting them have a life, a real life. I admire that."

Sonny didn't watch her as she walked away. He wanted to hit her, hit something, anything, to stop the ache. It was a good thing, that didn't mean it didn't hurt. He heard her gasp and turning, saw her teeter on the top step. A without thinking he caught her as she crashed down. "Whoa, whoa, whoa." He called, lifting her gently to the bench.

Her body pressed into his for a moment and he caught a whiff of the strawberry scent that clung to her hair, something too innocent for a dangerous woman like her. Then he caught sight of it, the bandage under her tank, blood slowly seeping through, tainting the white gauze. He removed his jacket and quickly pressed it to the wound.

"Oww." Claudia winced, jerking away from the pain. "Stop that!"

"You're bleeding. Did someone hurt you?" He didn't know why he asked, why he even cared.

"Its nothing." Claudia sat up a little straighter, carefully peeling back the band aid and checking the wound. "Damn." She muttered under her breath, she had torn it open.

"Someone stabbed you." Sonny concluded.

"It's nothing." She reiterated.

Sonny pulled back. She didn't want the help; he didn't need to be her hero. "You shouldn't try walking around in those shoes when you've been stabbed." He gestured to her red Jimmy Choo's.

She smiled at him. "I like my shoes."

"Well don't you like not being in pain more?" He challenged.

"But see, everyone knows how much I love my shoes. If I suddenly stopped wearing them there would be questions." She hinted broadly.

Sonny shook his head, women. "I'm guessing the old man doesn't know about this."

"No or Johnny." In her eyes there was a silent plea.

That shocked Sonny. They were close, very close, it didn't fit at all. "You two, not getting along so well?"

It was a question meant to rattle her, or make her give up something. But there was nothing to betray. "No. Its just John can be a little overprotective sometimes…"

"I've been on the other side of that overprotective thing myself." He reminded her.

Claudia sighed. "I just want to keep him from doing something stupid."

"Oh I see." Sonny nodded. "You are willing to get hurt to keep your brother from flipping out. Again." He pointedly added.

Claudia stood with a wince, and Sonny's arm was outstretched giving her aid from where she least expected it. "We do what we have to; to protect the people we love. I thought of all people you would understand that."

Sonny watched her go, her form fading into the distance, and he couldn't help but think that they were more alike than he ever realized.

-The End-


End file.
